Mail-box.



0. J. W. GLEASON.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13, 1912. 1,065,353, Patented June 24,1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

O. J. W. GLEASON.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.13, 1912.

Patented June 24, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTQE,

ODIORNE J'. W. GLEASON, -OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAIL-BOX.

T 0 all 'ZL 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, ODIORNE J. V. GLEA- SON, citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mail boxes and has special reference to street receptacles for the deposit and collection of all classes of mail matter in which separate compartments are provided for the different classes, and the object of the invention is to improve the construction so as to facilitate the collection of mail and guard against the leaving of any unnoticed pieces of mail in the receptacle.

The invention seeks to provide 'a receptacle which may be placed in any convenient location and in which the parts will be so arranged that when mail is collected therefrom a full view of the entire receptacle will be afforded so that no mail matter will be overlooked and left therein.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described, the novel features of the invention being subsequently particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective View of a mail box constructed in accordance with my present invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sect-ion of the same showing the box in its normal position arranged to permit the deposit of mail therein; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position of the 3 parts when mail is being collected therefrom; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line H of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail view of an indicator by which the collector may note the time of the collection.

The main body of the mail box comprises a metallic receptacle having side walls 1, a bottom 2, and a back wall 3, the said back wall being curved forwardly at its upper end to merge into the top 4, as shown. Between the side walls, at the lower ends thereof, is a front plate 5, and above the said front plate 5 are arranged the several compartments which will be presently more particularly described. In the bottom 2, I form a plurality of slots 6 which are adapted to be engaged by overhanging tongues or spurs 7 on the upper side of av Specification'of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 19 12.

Patented June 24, 1913. Serial N0. 683,466.

pedestal 8 whereby the box may be firmly supported above the ground or sidewalk so that water can not collect under the box to corrode the bottom thereof and thereby obtain access to the mail to injure the same.

The main body constitutes a main receptacle for the deposit of papers and large i parcels which are placed within the receptacle through a chute 9 which is pivoted between the sides 1 near the upper ends thereof and is equipped on its outer or front side with a handle 10, as shown. The edges of the sides of the chute are curved, as shown at 11, so that when the chute is in its normal position, shown in Fig. 2, it will be spaced from the top of the receptacle, but when it is pulled forwardly and upwardly to permit the insertion of mail the said curved edges will approach the top so that the side walls will then serve as guards to prevent the papers -or parcels being caught between the sides ofthe chute and the sides of the receptacle. The described formation of the chute also facilitates its turning about its pivotal support 12 so that the chute may be turned to afford a suflicient opening between its forward upper edge and the forward upper edge of the top of the receptacle to permit the insertion of large packages. When the chute is returned to its normal position within the receptacle the bottom 13 of the chute will "extend downwardly and inwardly as shown clearly in Fig. 2 and the package placed in the chute will be thereby precipitated into the main receptacle, as will be readily understood.

The forward upper edge of the top of the receptacle is formed into an overhanging flange or eave 14: by which rainor snow will be deflected away from the chute and be prevented from working into the receptacle, and a similar'defiector or shield 15 is formed or provided upon the front of the chute immediately adjacent the pivotal support thereof. A cross bar 16 is secured between the side Walls of the receptacle immediately adjacent the pivot 12 and is likewise turned forwardly and downwardly so as to deflect rain and snow from the mouth of the auxiliary receptacle, as clearly shown in 2.

The auxiliary receptacle 1'? is hinged or pivoted at its lower front edge to the upper edge of the front plate 5 as shown at 1'8, and this auxiliary receptacle is of such dimensions that its front wall 19 extends to and between the side walls 1 and constitutes the main portion of the front of the box. Upon the said front wall 19 I secure frames 20 in which are fitted cards displaying regulations governing the deposit and collection of mail matter and also a schedule of the collections to be made from the box. The cards are secured in these frames by set screws or similar fastenings 21 inserted into the frames from within the auxiliary receptacle, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper end of this auxiliary receptacle is spaced from the chute 9 and cross bar 16, and a hood or cover 22 is hinged at its rear edge to the upper rear edge of the receptacle and corresponds in. form and dimensions to the form and dimensions of the receptacle so that when the device is in its closed position the front side of the hood will present a continuation of the front of the receptacle and the top of the hood will be inclined so as to clear the bottom of the chute 9, as Clfil'l shown and as will be readily understood. Upon the front side of the hood, ad jacent the lower edge thereof, 1 hinge or pivot a hasp which is adapted to extend to and over a staple 24: carried by the receptacle near its upper edge and a lock 25 is engaged through the staple over the hasp to secure the parts in their closed position. To prevent the receptacle being drawn forwardly from the main receptacle by unauthorized persons, a pair of locking bars 26 are hinged or pivoted to the sides of the main receptacle and have their inner ends overlapping upon the staple 24 so that the lock 25 will hold the said locking bars in engagement with the staple and consequently prevent the auxiliary receptacle being tilted forward unless the lock be first released. To protect the lock against the weather and guard against tampering therewith a sheath or casing 27 is hinged or pivoted to the front side of the hood 22, adjacent. the hasp 23, so as to extend down over the lock and the parts held in place thereby, as shown, this sheath consisting of a metallic plate having its side edges and its top edge provided with ribs or flanges extending toward the receptacle, as clearly shown. The hood is provided in its front side with an opening 28 through which projeets the upper portion of a tray 29 which is pivoted adjacent the lower edge of the said opening and is provided on its front side with a handle 30 to permit the opera- 'tion of the tray. Immediately adjacent the upper edge of the opening 28, a flange or deflecting strip 31 is provided on the hood so that rain or snow will not work into the hood and over the tray, and a similar deflecting strip 32 is provided along the lower edge of the said opening for the same purpose. lhe tray is provided with a transverse iartition 33 so that when the tray is swung to its upward mail-receiving position separate con'ipartments will be presented for the reception of postals and letters and the front of the tray will be suitably inscribed to guide the depositor in placing the mail in the box. Flaps 34 are pivoted upon the inner face of the hood immediately above the opening 28 by which when the tray is in position to receive mail during inclement weather, the access of rain or other form of moisture to the interior of the receptacle will be prevented, and which also prevent the insertion of hooks or other implements that might be used to withdraw mail or to mutilate the same. The flaps are held by gravity against the bottom of the tray and conse quently when mail is being inserted they will yield just enough to permit the mail to be placed on the tray. A second tray 35 is pivoted at its upper end within the hood at the upper rear corner thereof, and a link 36 connects the two trays so that when the forward tray is drawn forward the rear tray will be likewise lifted so that the inner edges of the trays will meet and thereby effectually prevent the access of any implement to mail previously deposited in the receptacle and supported in the bottom thereof below the trays as will be "eadily understood Upon the bottom of the auxiliary receptacle, l pivotally mount an indicator card 37 which is divided around its edge into spaces corresponding to the hours of the day and across its face is treated with contrasting colors, as indicated at 39, to represent day and night. A spur or tooth etO is struck up from the face of the dial or indicator card and a. pointer or index ll is inscribed on the bottom of the receptacle adjacent the dial so that by engaging the tooth or spur 40 the dial may be readily turned to bring opposite the index or pointer the numerals representing the time of the collection. The carrier when making a collection will be required to thus manipulate the dial so that when the next collection is made it will be very evident to the collector whether any scheduled collection has been shipped.

It is thought the use and advantages of my improved mail box will be readily appreciated from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying draw; ings. Papers and large packages are deposited in the receptacle by drawing forward upon the handle 10 of the chute 9 so as to bring the said chute into the position shown in Fig. 3, after which the parcel. may be placed upon the chute and the chute re leased. The greater portion of the chute being in rear of its pivot, the chute naturally returns to the position shown in Fig. 2 and this action is accelerated by the weight of the parcel placed on the chute, the parcel being thereby discharged into the main receptacle in the space behind the auxiliary receptacle.

Should it bedesired to deposit a post card: or a letter, a forward pull is exerted on the handle 30 and the tray 29 is thus swung forwardly part way through the openm 28 so that the post card or the letter may be decaused to drop to the bottom of the auxiliary receptacle. I'Vhen the mail is to be collected the carrier lifts the sheath 27 and releases the lock so that the hasp 23 and the locking bars 26 may be disengaged from the staple 2- and a forward pull being then exerted upon the auxiliary receptacle through the staple will cause thereceptacle to swing forward upon its pivot 18 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the hood 22 being temporarily prevented from following the receptacle by reason of the engagement of the upper corner of the hood with the transverse bar 16. As the receptacle continues to move forwardly, however, the hood will turn about its hinge or pivotal connection with the receptacle and will consequently be released from its engagement with the bar 16 and turned into an inverted position back of the receptacle and then drawn outward therewith, as shown in Fig. 3. The entire interior of the main receptacle will thus be exposed so that any packages or papers which may have rolled forward to a position below the auxiliary receptacle will be seen and their removal from the receptacle assured. In returning the auxiliary receptacle to its position within the main receptacle, the carrier will grasp the front side of the hood so that after the hood has reached a position in rear of the cross bar 16 a slight lifting force may be exerted thereon so as to return it to its position over the auxiliary receptacle after which the parts are looked as before described.

It will be readily noted that my present construction permits an unobstructed view of the entire interior of both the main and the auxiliary receptacles when a collection is being made so that no mail matter will be overlooked and the construction is such that the access of moisture to any portion of the interior of the box is prevented. It will also be evident from the drawings and the description that the auxiliary receptacle constitutes a complete mail box in itself for the reception of letters and postcards and may be utilized as such without the outer casing or main receptacle when so desired. To facilitate this use of the auxiliary receptacle I construct the bottom of the same with slots similar to the slots 6 in the bot tom of the main receptacle which may be engaged by the overhanging supports on the pedestal, so that the box consisting of the auxiliary receptacle may be secured-upon the pedestal in the same manner as the main receptacle may be, it being understood, however, that the pedestal would be con siderably higher and of smaller horizontal dimensions than the pedestal used to support the entire 'device. The screw or bolt by which the dial is pivoted upon the bottom of the auxiliary receptacle will also be caused to engage the top of the pedestal, so

as to firmly secure the letter box thereon. It will also be noted that the disp'la-ycards fitted in the frames 20 on the front of the box are secured therein by a set-screw inside their durability I make the same of metal.

The card announcing the times of collections will have figures stamped or cut therein denoting the twenty-four hours of the day and the times at which collections will be made will be indicated by an arrow, an asterisk, or similar character stamped or painted or otherwise inscribed upon the card adjacent the pro-per figures. The cards will thus be indestructible and persons depositing mail in the box will be reliably informed at all times of the hour at which the next collection will be made. The lower portion or bar of each frame 20 will be slightly spaced from the face of the box so that the card to be displayed in said frame may be easily slipped up between the faces of the box to the lower cross bar of the frame, after which, the set-screw is turned home against the card to thereby clamp the same against the lower bar of the card-holding frame. The cards may be thus easily renewed or changed in a very short period of time whenever it is necessary to do so.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a mail box, the combination of a main receptacle, a chute pivoted to the upper end of said receptacle, and an auxiliary receptacle pivotally mounted in the main receptacle below the said chute and having a hood hinged to its upper end, said hood being adapted to permit the insertion of mail and having its upper end normally resting against a stop at the front of the main receptacle.

2. In a mail box, the combination of a main receptacle, a chute pivoted to the upper end of said receptacle, an auxiliary receptacle pivotally mounted in the main receptacle below the said chute and having a hood hinged to its upper end, said hood being adapted to permit the insertion of mail, means for locking the hood to the auxiliary receptacle, and a shield on the front of the hood above said locking means.

3. In a mail box, the combination of a main receptacle, an auxiliary receptacle pivotally mounted therein and having its front disposed to form the front Wall of the main receptacle, a hood hinged upon the upper end of the auxiliary receptacle and provided in its front side With a mail-receiving opening, a tray pivotally mounted within the hood and adapted to normally close the said mail-receiving opening, and means whereby when the auxiliary receptacle is swung forward the hood will swing to the rear thereof.

4. In a mail box, the combination of a main receptacle, a rigid cross bar at the front thereof, an auxiliary receptacle pivotally mounted Within the main receptacle 15 atthe front thereof, a hood hinged to the upper end of said auxiliary receptacle and normally resting against the inner face of the said cross bar, said hood being provided With means to permit the insertion of mail, and means for looking the hood over the auxiliary receptacle to close the same.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ODIORNE J. W. GLEASON. Witnesses J ELMER HALL, ALFRED H. SAMSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C. 

